From an isle in the Pacific to the United Kingdom and all the places in between,my journey has included windy deserts,windy beaches,large cities,and tiny towns.It's no wonder that I've grown to love new places and new experiences. Always the new guy, never the expert,but finally becoming comfortable with being different; as odd as a seagull in the mountains,I share perspectives that could only be gained in my own Nikes.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Kiki's Temple Debut

In the LDS Church, we believe that Heavenly Father wants ALL of His sons and daughters to gain exaltation and to live in His kingdom with continued progression in eternal life. You've probably heard the saying that the house of God is a house of order.

There are certain ordinances that are required to qualify for the saving powers of His priesthood. That priesthood must be His, deriving power directly from Him. Thus, the priesthood holders committing these saving ordinances upon the souls who desire so, must have received their power through the proper channels of the priesthood which has been restored since it was taken from the earth not a very long time after Christ was on the earth. If an ordinance is not performed with the ACTUAL power of God, can a man truly overcome the fall of Adam?

So, then, if these ordinances are required for eternal progression, what about those who didn't get a chance to learn about them before they passed on? What about those who weren't spiritually ready to accept them while they lived here in mortality? Father is a just God.

He provided a way for those who've passed on to have their ordinances put into place. That doesn't mean they are forced to accept membership in the church. That doesn't mean they lose their agency to choose for themselves whether or not to accept Christ and his teachings. It means simply that the ordinances have been performed for them so that they can continue to progress as they continue to learn.

And that is part of what we do in the temples. It's called temple work. We who are living, stand in proxy for those who've passed away. It is a work that must be done. It is a work that not only blesses the dead but also the living. It is a work that requires sacrifice. People worldwide make sacrifices of not only time, but also of resources to help in this great work.

When our youth reach the age of twelve they are able to attend the temple to perform baptisms for the dead. Today we took our youngest daughter, Nicole, for her first trip to do baptisms (as well as her next oldest sibling and our nephew from Nevada).

I brought 50 name cards of my own ancestors which were researched by an 82 year old (very distant) relative of mine who lives in Germany.

I love being in the temple. I love being "about my Father's business" ~ Luke 2:49